Inflatable ball



y 1933- J. E. MAYNARD I 1,917,535

INFLATABLE BALL Filed July l4, 1931 Patented July 11, 1933 uNrrEo sTATEs PATENT O FicE-LY JOHN MAYNARD, or PLYMOUTH, new namrsninn, essrenon we ran ionernn MAYNARD COMPANY, or PLYMOUTH, new rennrsnran, A coaron rrron INFLATABLE! BALL t Application filed July 14, 1931. fSerial No. 550,668.

Basketballs, footballs and similar balls used in athletic games comprise a casing usually of leather, enclosing an inflatable 'bladder. It has been common practice to provide a metal valve casing containing a valve vulcanized in the bladder so asto extend into an opening in the exterior casing of the ball. The outer end of this valve casing was closed by a metal cap. The metal valve cap often strikes a sensitive part of a players body causing injury or severe pain. Inasmuch as the opening in the outer casing is not entirely filled by the valve cap, dirt collects therein. If the ball strikes the surface of the playing area so that the metal valve cap engages the playing surface, the rebound of the ball is abnormal. Such an event is uncontrollable and often is the cause of the failure of an important play which otherwise would have been successful.

It is the object of the invention to provide a ball which is free of these objectionable characteristics and which removes the above mentioned unfortunate incidents from the play.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing:

in which;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a basketball embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken upon the line 22 of Fig. 1; partly in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the parts of the ball; and

Fig. at is a sectional View taken upon'the line an of Fig. 3.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the in 4.0 vention is not limited inits application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of oth r embodiments and of being practised oi carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention to beyond the terms of the several claims hereopening rendering said valve accessible from to appended as considered in view of the prior .art and the requirements thereof.

A basketball embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and comprisesa bladder 10 of rubber or other elastic material having a hollow casing 11' of an air inlet valve suitably secured therein I as by cement so as to extend into an opening 12 in anouter casing 15 of leather or other suitable flexible'material enclosing the blad- S9 der. The connection between the valve casing 11 and the bladder 10 is protected by a metal ring 16 threaded on the valve casing 11 between the bladder and exterior casing ofthe ball. A flexible annular disk 17 surrounds the valve casing 11 between the bladder and the metal ring 16 and is secured to the latter as by rivets 18. i

The outer end of the valve casing 11 is provided with internal threads to receive a valve cap 20, the outer surface of which is provided with a pluralityof holes 21 adapted to receive aspanner wrench for removing the cap. The outer end of the cap 20 is enclosed by a flexible coating'22 of rubher or other material suitably secured thereto and having a flexibility comparable with that of the outer casing 15 of the ball. Pref.- erably the coating 22 is adapted to lit in the opening '12 to close the same substantially P completely and extend substantially flush with the exterior surface of the outer casing 15 of the ball. Openings 23 are provided in the coating 22 in alignment with the holes" 21 in the top of the cap 20. I v The invention provides an inflatable ball, the outer surface of which has a con tinuous smooth and unbroken curvature and is of substantially the same flexibility throughout. 7 Nevertheless, the air intake valve is readily accessible for the purpose of inflating the'ball. The rebound of the ball from the surface of the playing area is always as'expected regardless of which portion of the ball engages the playing surface.

I claim: a 1. In a ball having an inflatable member provided with a valve, and a flexible casing surrounding said member andhaving an the exterior of the casing, the combination opening rendering said valve accessible from the exterior of the casing, the combination therewith of a cap threaded on said valve and having a resilient coating adapted to lit in said opening, and extend substantially flush with the exterior surface of said casing when said cap is secured in its normal position on said valve, said coating and cap having openings adapted to receive a spanner Wrench for reinoving said cap.

Tn testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN E. MAYNARD. 

